UPDATED 2025 PROCESS: Scheduling After Action Reviews

Updating the AAR Intake Process to Enable Our Teams in 2025

Starting January 1, 2025, the PMO will be implementing a streamlined After Action Review (AAR) Intake Process in collaboration with Continuous Improvement with the intention of further enabling our teams and Project Managers to more efficiently initiate the process of scheduling AARs, reduce the number of unnecessary meetings, and increase the regularity with which our Delivery Teams participate in AARs.

Part of our goal with Consulting Services is to get a more consistent cadence for AARs after any client engagement, with the intention of documenting and storing outcomes, and translating insights into actionable steps.  

What's Changing?

This change will only apply to the process of scheduling AARs for Project Managers (PMs). Previously, PMs would email the Continuous Improvement team around the time of go-live for their project to request an AAR session. From there, the facilitator would schedule a Pre-AAR Connect with the PM to gather additional contextual information about the project to inform their preparation for facilitating the AAR session.

In lieu of the email initiation and pre-AAR connects, we will be implementing a new AAR Intake Form as part of the updated process. Links to this form will be provided in appropriate locations throughout the Playbook as well as within certain templates to more easily indicate to team members when to begin the process of scheduling an AAR.

For more information, please refer to the AAR Process for PMs 2025 Infographic.

The facilitation of AARs and the resulting outputs will remain the same: Following the session(s), team member feedback will be reviewed and put into the Monthly AAR Themes Report published via the CI LaunchNotes. This report compiles key themes and opportunities, recommendations and best practices for immediate impact, and action items for longer-term impact that were seen across AARs that month.

The AAR Intake Form

The Intake Form will contain questions similar to those asked that were asked in the Pre-AAR Connect to help inform AAR scheduling and preparation for facilitation:

• Basic project information:

  • Project Type (BC, CE, F&O, Roadmap, Multi-Workload, etc.)

  • Team Members Involved

  • Kickoff and Go-Live Dates

  • Timeline / Budget Status

• Contextual project information:

  • Anticipated topics of discussion

  • Challenges and/or lessons learned

  • Unique circumstances that impacted the project*

    • *If the project is particularly complex or nuanced, an optional Pre-AAR Connect may be scheduled as well.

As mentioned before, links to the Intake Form will be provided in the following locations and assets throughout the Playbook to easy access and availability:

• Smartsheet Form

• Project Close Checklist

• RASCI Workbook

• Support Transition Workbook

• Activities in Project Types (BC, CE, F&O, Roadmap)

  • Empower > Project Manager > "After Action Review"

• Key Concepts > "After Action Review"

Where can I submit feedback?

If you have any questions or feedback regarding the updated AAR Intake Process, utilize the Stoneridge Playbook feedback feature, or email Emily Cottam.